Where We Work

Beginning work of the Foundation will focus on two geographies: the Pu'u Wa'awa'a and Laupāhoehoe ahupua'a. These two areas are rich, living cultural landscapes— home to passionate and engaged communities including active community-based advisory councils. These two geographies are also home to the Laupāhoehoe and Pu'u Wa'awa'a units of Hawai'i Experimental Tropical Forest, and so a legacy geography for the Foundation and an area that has received significant scientific attention. Finally, in both geographies, managers have a strong commitment to collaborative stewardship. These elements represent key ingredients to achieving the Foundation’s mission.

Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a

Ahupua‘a of Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a, is the 38,885 acre dryland portion of HETF. Meaning “Many-Furrowed Hill”, Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a holds some of the state’s last remnants of Hawaii’s dryland forests. Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a is home to hundreds of species of native plants and animals, with a watershed that extends from 6,400 feet to sea level. This unique landscape is ideal for research, protection, and restoration, as it supports all of the major types of Hawaii’s forests and provides examples of forests that range from being vibrant to being degraded.

Laupāhoehoe

The Hawai'i Experimental Tropical Forest (HETF) in the Ahupua‘a of Laupāhoehoe. HETF is a partnership between Institute of Pacific Studies, State of Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), and Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). HETF provides, “landscapes, facilities, and data/information to support research and education activities.” The Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests will begin our work in the Laupāhoehoe and Pu’u Wa’awa’a units of the HETF. (DLNR, 2016)

A pillar of Hawaii’s host culture and a foundation for her unique natural ecosystems, ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua is rapidly disappearing from lowland areas and is threatened with extinction across its broad range. Our mission addresses the threats to Hawaii’s forests through a dynamic approach that honors the past and prepares the way for a vibrant future.

The ‘I‘iwi, whose long, curved bill is adapted to the ʻōhiʻa lehua blossom, migrates seasonally to flowering plants, moving through ʻōhiʻa’s altitudinal range. The ‘I‘iwi is threatened by habitat loss, climate change, and mosquito-transmitted diseases such as avian malaria and avian pox. ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua and ‘I‘iwi depend on one another–these birds nest in ʻōhiʻaʻs branches, and are important pollinators for the tree.

Gracing over a million acres of the Hawaiian Islands, ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua forests provide food and shelter to hundreds of native bird and insect species, produce valuable wood, support honey production, and are vital for Hawaii’s watershed cycles.

The Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests is a 501C3 incorporated in the state of Hawai‘i